What are the benefits of the sponge?

Sponges are convenient and give you control.

You don’t need to see a doctor or have a prescription to get the sponge, and it’s sold over-the-counter at most drugstores, some supermarkets, community health centers, Planned Parenthood health centers, and online. You can also buy sponges on the Today Sponge website.

Contraceptive sponges are small, individually wrapped, and easily fit in your pocket or bag — wherever you go, the sponge can go with you!  And once you put the sponge in, you can have sex as many times as you want for the next 24 hours.

The sponge is effective as soon as you put it in, and it’s easy to stop using it, too. If you decide that you want to try to get pregnant, just don’t put a sponge in before sex.

Sponges don’t interrupt sex.

You can safely put your sponge in up to 24 hours before sex, so you don’t have to worry about birth control in the heat of the moment. Putting your sponge in place before things get hot and heavy means you can take care of pregnancy prevention without pausing the action. And once the sponge is in your vagina, you can have sex multiple times for the next 24 hours without doing anything else.

Most people can’t feel the sponge once it’s in their vagina, and many partners don’t feel it during sex. The sponge is soft, squishy, and feels a lot like a vagina, so even partners who do notice it usually don’t care. Plus, knowing that you're protected from pregnancy can help you relax and enjoy sex more.

The sponge is a hormone-free option.

Some people prefer non-hormonal birth control, or can’t use methods with hormones because of medical problems — the sponge can be a good option for them. And because it’s hormone-free, it’s safe to use the sponge while breastfeeding.